All our Polymer Clay is stored in a cool regulated temperature. It is never subjected to heat whilst in our storage room or in the shop.
Polymer Clay can vary in consistency from being fairly soft and malleable, to being firm and crumbly. This is entirely normal for Polymer Clay, and does not mean it is faulty or even overly dry. All Polymer Clay requires conditioning before use.
FIMO Professional is especially firm and hard, and naturally takes a much longer time to condition. It's best to break into very small pieces.
FIMO Soft & Effect varies by batch, also by the added inclusions, and the pigments or minerals that are used.
Cernit generally is a softer clay, but does firm over time.
Is your clay firm or crumbly ?
There are some easy solutions to softening clay, if you are finding a block particularly firm or crumbly.
Break or chop a 1/2cm slither of the clay from the block, into small pieces then pull together into a ball, squeezing with your fingers. Chop into small pieces again, and keep repeating the process until the clay becomes softer.
Condition and work the clay, by using your fingers, rollers or an arbor Neverkneed press. Expect to condition the clay for around 20-25 minutes for best results.
It's important to make sure the clay is in a warm environment, but not too hot. Once malleable you can start to run the clay through a pasta machine on its widest setting.
If you are unable to make a marble sized ball from the chopped and conditioned crumbs, then it may be the time to add some clay softener. However, try adding some softer conditioned clay into the mix first. The softer clay in turn will help condition the firmer clay.
Please only add Polymer Clay Softener if you cannot make a ball, or the clay will become tacky and sticky. Adding softener, should always be done sparingly, just a few drops at a time. There are many over the counter softeners, or alternatively, a couple of drops of baby oil will also help soften the clay
Is your clay too soft ?
Cernit has a tendency to be a little soft once conditioned, if you find that your clay is too stretchy or soft to work with, roll out your clay using a rolling pin or pasta machine (you can run through the pasta machine by placing the clay between two sheets of paper, to prevent the clay sticking to your machine) then place the clay on to a fresh sheet of copy paper for around 30 mins. If particularly sticky then sandwich the clay between two sheets of paper, this allows the oils from the clay to leach out into the paper and reduce the stickyness.
Conclusion
Polymer Clay can always be conditioned with a little time and effort. If you have tried all the steps listed and you are still finding your clay crumbly, and will not pull together into a marble sized ball after conditioning, then please do get in touch, via email support@paperstory.co.uk
An unopened package of Polymer clay won't expire if it is stored in a cool location.
Please note we have introduced smart tagging to identify our products to prevent fraudulent returns.
